


Unrealistic Dream

by novaartinoisaqueen



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Future Vision, Manipulation, Mind Control, Torture, but like a little fluff? but also not because none of it is real, catra is just trying to resist horde prime you know, takes place after she saves glimmer but before 'save the cat', their children are present including finn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-15
Updated: 2020-06-15
Packaged: 2021-03-03 18:38:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24740173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/novaartinoisaqueen/pseuds/novaartinoisaqueen
Summary: Catra has been fighting against Horde Prime's torture after saving Bright Moon's queen, but she can only hold out for so long. He's slowly taking control of her mind and body, prying her apart piece by piece by filling her brain with dreams, nightmares, visions, everything she ever wanted and anything that made no sense. When she's taken to him once again, expecting the worse, the dream she wakes up in is the last thing she could have ever expected, a wish she had pushed down so far until it was crushed, never to see the light of day again. Until now.
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 98





	Unrealistic Dream

**Author's Note:**

> this idea came to me at 3am (PEAK time for brilliant ideas) after thinking about the future vision Adora had and Prime being all like "a lovely dream" like the nasty bitch he is.i just get the vibe that prime would put catra through a load of hell to break her before forcing her to become part of the hive mind, so thats essentially what this is. i apologize for torturing my baby. it hurts me too. come find me on tumblr, emybain, or my she ra side blog, catradora-bitch, and say hi!
> 
> EDIT: im now adoraspumpkin on tumblr, but ill change it back after a few week! (only did it for fall hehe)

Catra fought hard.

She refused to submit to Horde Prime, refused to become another mindless slave. He was torturing her, drawing out the process of bringing her into his sick hive mind. When she was conscious, something that was growing more and more rare, she was in a small cell with no furniture and seemingly no door, although Catra knew there must’ve been one hidden somewhere. When she was brought before him, she was always knocked out with some kind of drug forced into her bloodstream. She only knew she was in his presence when the nightmares, dreams, visions, whatever he decided to force into her head, began. Sometimes, they were memories, or made up scenarios meant to break her. Sometimes, they were pleasant, but Catra was smart enough to know there was a hidden evil behind every warm smile and fantasy she experienced. She saw strangers, enemies, old friends, people she had forgotten existed, Adora. He had gone through her mind, taking out her strengths and weaknesses, her dreams and fears, everything about her, until there was practically nothing left but her sheer determination to never submit. 

Today’s vision, whatever day it was, maybe years after she decided to do the one good thing in her life, was different than the rest. Catra was tired. The fight she had initially put up when he first pried into her mind was only a ghost now. Before, she resisted every poke and prod in her head, but now, she could only go along with the visions and wait for them to be over. A small part of her hoped the visions these days were at least decent and not torturous. But everything here was torturous. She thought back to her dreamless nights in the Horde right before she was taken by Prime, how she missed them despite how lonely they made her. Silence was better than this. 

But yes, today was different than anything Catra had been put through. 

The first thing she noticed upon waking up was the strong arm thrown around her waist and the wall of heat she was curled up into. It was...comfortable...safe. But Catra couldn’t trust it. She unraveled herself from the mysterious arms and the body they belonged to as well as the mountain of blankets and pillows around her. She looked around the room, a bedroom to be exact. Moonlight streamed through windows raised all the way to the top of the high ceiling. Catra could hear birds chirping from the grand opened balcony, where a vast fountain quietly gurgled. Everywhere she looked, there was color. She noticed some personalizations, especially around the desk and vanity areas. Personalizations that were...eerily familiar. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. The scent of vanilla hung in the air; Catra was beginning to think maybe she had died somewhere in the process of her torture, and this was some afterlife. Which...wouldn’t make sense considering the things she had done. She didn’t deserve this kindness. 

The bed shifted underneath her, and Catra was reminded of the person fast asleep beside her, as well as how comfortable the mattress and blankets were. She peeled back the covers slightly and leaned over, pushing the hair out of the stranger’s face. A gasp escaped her lips and her heart dropped. 

It was...it was Adora, but older. It was hard to tell just how older, as she still had a youthful glow about her, but Catra had to guess she was somewhere in her twenties, maybe even early thirties. And Catra, after years of yearning for Adora, had never thought she could be more stunning than her present self was, yet before her lay a goddess. 

Catra reached a hand forward, wary of this dream that was clearly set in the future, and ran a finger down Adora’s face. When the woman shifted, Catra drew back with a small yelp and backed up toward the foot of the bed. This only caused Adora to stir more, until she was yawning loudly and turning over, rubbing her eyes with her hands. 

When her sleepy eyes landed on Catra, she smiled warmly. Catra felt her cheeks grow warm at the loving yet natural look Adora gave her. “Mmmm....g’morning.” She stretched her arms up. “You’re up before me? That’s unusual,” she teased, running a hand through her golden locks. When Catra didn’t respond, only continued to gape at not-Adora, Adora’s expression grew concerned. She reached a hand forward and grasped Catra’s, tugging. “Babe, is something wrong?” 

Catra allowed herself to be pulled back, entranced by this woman. Adora had appeared in her visions before but...but not like this. She could barely register the pet name, something Adora had never called her in her life. In fact, Adora had never used pet names, always ‘dummy’ or ‘idiot’ or some other condescending name to make Catra laugh. 

Her mouth opened of its own accord. “Yeah. Yeah, I’m fine. You’re just...you look so beautiful right now.” Did Catra really just say that? Her blush deepened. 

Adora laughed, and Catra longed to hear more of it, the happiest laughter her ears had ever been blessed with. She narrowed her eyes at Catra knowingly. “Alright, what are you planning? If it’s anything like last year-”

“I’m not planning anything,” Catra purred. Something washed over her, telling her that there was nothing wrong. This was just another normal morning with the love of her life, the woman who was crazy enough to marry her. 

Catra crawled over to Adora and cupped her face in her hands. Adora leaned into the embrace and immediately tilted her head up to kiss her. It was everything Catra had always imagined, always wanted, and more. Adora’s kisses were experienced, as well as the hands that traced lazy patterns over every inch of Catra’s skin. 

Her tail was just beginning to wrap itself around her wife’s waist when there was a commotion outside their room, and then the doors burst open. 

Three loud children came dashing in and clambered onto the bed, one of them nearly crushing Catra’s foot.

“Happy Birthday, Mama!” the three of them chorused. One of them, a girl with Adora’s fine angelic hair but Catra’s eyes placed a bed tray over Adora’s lap. Catra noticed the flick of her tail when she leaned forward. 

Adora was laughing, shaking her head in disbelief. Catra watched as she pulled each of the children to her, pressing motherly kisses all over their cheeks and hugging them tightly. “All of this for me?” she cried when they all pulled back to beam at her. “Which of you is responsible for this? Mara?” The girl who had given Adora the food shook her head and pointed toward Catra.

“It was Mom’s idea,” she explained. Catra softened at the sound of her voice, almost songlike. She held herself a bit higher than her siblings, more graceful, even if she was the second oldest. Catra knew that behind that composure was a child filled with just as much mischief as her siblings, though she was better at sweet talking her way out of trouble than the others with her innocent facade. 

“But we made it better, and there’s much more to come.” Catra looked at the eldest, a cat-human hybrid like herself, but they weren’t blood related to her or Adora, she somehow knew. Adopted as a toddler after the couple found them on a war-stricken planet on one of their space adventures. But still their child all the same, still loved as much as Mara and the youngest that sat in their lap. She and Adora had made sure that their children got to have the lives they never got, since they grew up in the Horde as orphans. 

“More?” Adora’s gaze went to Catra, who had yet to say anything. “Honey, you didn’t have to do anything, you know that.” 

“But I wanted to.” Catra scooted toward her again and laced their fingers together. “You deserve it.” 

When they kissed, their children...yes, her and Adora’s children...protested in disgust at their parents. It was something Catra enjoyed doing, being overly affectionate with her wife in the presence of their kids to embarrass them. 

“Mama, open the card,” the youngest said slowly, as he was still testing out more grown up sentences. Catra couldn’t be more proud of him, as he was very quiet. “I wrote my name.”

“You did!” Adora grinned at him and opened the card a bit more so Catra could see. There was Mara’s practiced signature at the top, followed by a heart, Finn’s chicken scratch name, and at the bottom, in large block letters that obviously had some assistance, was Adam’s endearing attempt. Adam, like their older sibling, was adopted as an infant. He bore no resemblance to either of his mom’s to even suggest he could be biologically theirs, with his dark curly hair and olive skin and brown eyes. Catra wouldn’t have it any other way. 

She watched her small family with a swelling heart. This was all she had ever wanted. Not death, not destruction, not complete control over a world, but a life with Adora. A life where they were unbothered and incandescently content. Happy. Was this some vision of the future? Was she going to marry Adora and live the life she always dreamed about? Catra had never told anyone before, out of fear of being seen as weak, but she had always wanted to get married and have children, particularly with Adora. It had always been a repressed dream, too good to be true. And that’s what this vision was: nothing more than false hope. 

Catra hardly noticed the shadows overtaking the happy moment, the tearing up of the system as it was ending, being pulled from Catra’s grasp just when she was beginning to relax.

_ “You could have it all, if you bow down to me,” _ a cold voice echoed in Catra’s head. She gasped and gripped at her hair, as long as it used to be before Horde Prime had it chopped off to have easy access to his chip. Her family was no longer chattering amongst themselves, but staring at Catra with those chilling, empty green eyes. Her stomach dropped.

“Join Horde Prime, Mother.” Mara gripped Catra’s wrist. Her skin was cold as ice. “He can make you happy.” No, Catra knew Mara would never call her that, the name too formal. 

“All of your worries will vanish,” Finn joined in, grinning at Catra with their fangs bared. “Isn’t that what you want, Mom?”

“We can be happy here, my love.” Adora pressed a slow, mocking kiss to Catra’s cheek and trailed a finger down her neck. “Together, forever, with Big Brother protecting us.”

Her family, once bright smiles and lively eyes, now blank faces and monotone voices, advanced on her, and suddenly Catra couldn’t breathe. She was being suffocated, being dragged down into the feathered mattress, down, down, down.

Into darkness.


End file.
